Unity is simply a cross-platform game engine. Its development is done by Unity technologies. It now supports close to 25 platforms.

Unity is written in C++ (runtime) and C# (Unity Scripting API) programming languages.

Unity was first introduced in 2005 with the aim of making game development more accessible to developers.

Developers, today, can make good use of Unity in developing three-dimensional, two-dimensional, virtual reality, and augmented reality games.

They may even decide to further use it for simulations and other experiences.

How many Integrated Development Environments do you know can be used in creating games with Unity? This article will be exclusively talking about 12 Best Unity IDE you can use to ease your game development.

1. Visual Studio Code

VS Code is a lightweight, cross-platform editor. It is pretty cool for “wrapped” web-based applications. It comes with many related Unity plugins to help you relate better.

Best Unity IDE

Features:

  • Integrated debugging
  • Integrated terminal
  • It is very powerful and fast
  • It supports Windows, Mac OS, and Linux

2. Project Rider

Project Rider is also similar to the VS Code in terms of it being a cross-platform.

Although it has a trial version but the developer didn’t make free to you. Students are allowed to use it without obtaining commercially.

Features:

  • It can run on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux
  • It recreates the original source code for any .net library
  • It supports multiple runtime
  • It executes rapidly and it’s one of the best IDEs you can lay your hands-on

3. Visual Studio

Visual Studio is known as one of the most feature-rich IDEs around us today. This IDE is developed by Microsoft.

Best Unity IDE

Features:

  • It runs on Windows and Mac OS
  • It supports languages like C, Java, Ruby, and Python
  • Cloud storage
  • Git integration

4. Atom

Choosing Atom as an IDE for Unity means you have chosen an IDE that is easy to install and simple to use. Its execution is rapid.

Best Unity IDE

Features:

  • It is a Cross-platform IDE: Windows, Mac OS, and Linux
  • It is highly customizable
  • It comes with a package manager and an extensive list of packages

5. MonoDevelop

MonoDevelop is free to be downloaded and used by all but it has been deprecated since 2018.

Features:

  • It supports Windows and Mac OS
  • It is no longer supported

6. Emacs

Emacs is a cross-platform, multilingual editor. Emacs is among the family of text editors that are known for their extensibility.

Best Unity IDE

Features:

  • It supports Auto Complete
  • It is highly customizable
  • It supports the integration of source control
  • Emacs does bracket highlighting

7. Vim

Vim is free and opensource software.

It supports a lot of plugins to extend its functionality. Using Vim, you don’t memorize any key combinations before you can perform tasks on it – Vim is designed to be mnemonic.

Features:

  • Cross-platform
  • Highly extensible
  • Keyboard-based, mouse-free interface

8. Consulo

Consulo is based on Jet Brains IntelliJ IDE. It is one of the best IDEs for Unity developments. Consulo supports the refactoring of Class/ Variable Names.

Best Unity IDE

Features:

  • Unity Integration
  • It supports programming languages like Java, JavaScript, Python, Php, and many more!
  • It runs well on more than one platform

9. VSCodium

VSCodium is simply an open-source version of the Virtual Studio Code without telemetry. It is also exactly the same as VS Code but there is a difference in the fact that it doesn’t track users’ usage data.

Best Unity IDE

Features:

  • It is just a clone of the famous Visual Studio Code editor developed by Microsoft
  • Git Integration
  • Cross-platform
  • IntelliSense and smart code completion

10. Eclipse

Eclipse is an Integrated Development Environment that supports more than one programming language. For the customization of its environment, it comprises a base workspace and an extensible plugin system.

Features:

  • Free and open source
  • Good font rendering
  • Its customization is easily done
  • It supports lots of extensions

11. Xcode

Xcode, developed by Apple, is simply an Integrated Development Environment exclusively for Mac OS.

Best Unity IDE

Features:

  • Xcode is aimed at developing software for macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS
  • Freeware with open-source components

12. SharpDevelop

SharpDevelop (#Develop) can be best described as a discontinued free and open-source Integrated Development Environment for the .NET Framework, Mono, Gtk# and Glade# platforms.

Features:

  • Free and Lightweight
  • Git Integration
  • It is completely written in C# programming language

Conclusion

Any game developer that is in love with Unity will find the well-explained IDEs in this article useful. Each of their distinct characteristics and descriptions is well written in a way to assist readers while going through them.